Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-01-29
EARLY HISTORY.
Movements to Secure Valuable Ai.
torical Information
About the United States from Public ana
Private Archives in Europe.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Sherman
President pro tem., to-day laid before thr
Senate u letter from the Secretary Of
State, transmitting copies Of a memorial
signed by representatives of several
historical societies and by many eminen,
men of letters of the United States and
especially by those engaged in historical
pursuits, setting forth the great yalne
and importance Of full and accurate di.
gest and catalogue of the numerous dozen.
ments found in public and private archives
OF Europe relating to the early history of
the United States, especially the period
between the treaty of Paris, in l7,3, bv
which Great Britain acquired from France
title to the Northwestern Territories Of
America, and the treaty Of peace between
the United States and Great Britain, in
liS. The Secretary saws:
THE memoralsts represent that such doe,
ments exist in great numbers in the various
European archives; that the condition under
which they are accessbe-eyen when open 10
public inspect!On--is such that but few have
been copied and most OF them are unknown to
the American student; that Mr. BENJAMIN
Franklin stevens, native citizen of the
United States residing in London. has during
several years OF careful research and under ex
ccptional advantages, prepared n descriptive
catalogue OF over ninety-fiye thousand sepnrDtc
papers found In the archives Of different Eu.
ropcnn countries; and that this initial and in
complete list shows the value Of the substan
'inlly complete list which they ask Congress to
authorize and provide the means for"
a letter from Mr. Stevens, setting forth
In detail the nature of the work he has un-
dertaken, and the conditions essential to
its accomplishments, is submitted, and
the Secretary continues:
THE weight OF testimony as TO the yalue ot
the proposed index catalogue, suggested by tho
names attached to the memorial, justines me
in commenting the subject to the careful at.
tcntion of Congress Without It's favorable
action, not only viii the completion OF tho
work be doubtful, II not impossible, but the
fragment now prepared would probably 70
main practically yaucess Propositions have,
from time to time, been made TO Congress bv
persons eminent in history and literature, TO
gethcr with the recommendations OF several Of
my predecessors, looking 10 the acquisition OF
transcripts of records in foreign archives relat
ing 10 the early history of the United States
and their deposit in the National Capitol for
free consultation, Such q descriptive catalogue
as is now proposed would unquestionably be OF
advantage in suggesting the proper selection Of
historical matter for transcription and indicat
ing where il is to be found"
Mr.. Stevens, in letter to the Secretary,
which accompanies the message to the
President pro tenn, says that he has dis
covered many valuable historical works
that the work has become too great for
any individual TO undertake alone, unless
a man of wealth, and that when complete
the index will probably comprise 10000
documents, and when printed ill twenty
thOusnnd roval octave nages.